10 Amazing Facts About the First Person to Climb Mount Everest
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first individuals to reach the summit of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953. Their achievement was a landmark in the history of mountaineering and inspired generations of climbers. While many know of their accomplishment, not everyone is aware of the remarkable facts surrounding their ascent. In this article, we’ll dive into ten amazing facts about the first person to climb Mount Everest.
1. Edmund Hillary was not originally meant to be part of the team
Sir Edmund Hillary was a beekeeper from New Zealand who was then an unknown figure in the mountaineering world. He was initially part of a reconnaissance mission led by Eric Shipton in 1951 that aimed to map out a potential route up Mount Everest. However, after the British team failed to reach the summit in 1952, Hillary was asked to join the 1953 expedition.
2. Tenzing Norgay was not his real name
Tenzing Norgay was born Namgyal Wangdi, but his name was changed by a British army officer when he joined the Royal Geographical Society in 1947. Norgay was a Sherpa, a community renowned for their mountaineering skills and their expertise in navigating the Himalayas. It is said that Tenzing had climbed up to within nearly 300 vertical metres of the summit in 1952.
3. The final ascent took a total of 15 hours
On May 28, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set out for their final ascent on Mount Everest. They climbed through the night and reached the summit at around 11:30 AM the next day, making them the first humans to conquer the world’s highest peak. Their final ascent lasted a total of 15 hours.
4. Tenzing Norgay left a gift for the gods on the summit
When Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Everest, he left a gift for the gods. He buried a few sweets and biscuits as an offering, which is a common practice in Sherpa culture. The small cache of sweets, which were later discovered by other climbers, is believed to have been the first offering ever placed on the summit of Mount Everest.
5. Hillary and Norgay’s ascent was a result of teamwork
One of the key reasons behind Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s successful ascent was the excellent teamwork between the two. They worked together to plan their route up the mountain, and when one of them got tired, the other one stepped in. Hillary and Norgay also reached an agreement that whoever first made it to the summit would wait for the other at the top.
6. The oxygen cylinders used to climb the mountain were surprisingly heavy
One of the most critical pieces of equipment needed for the Everest ascent was the oxygen cylinder. However, the cylinders used by Hillary and Norgay were heavy, weighing nearly 17 kg each. They had to carry several cylinders each, which added extra weight to their already heavy packs.
7. Hillary and Norgay’s climb was groundbreaking but not flawless
Although Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent was a triumph, it was far from perfect. Hillary later noted that on several occasions during the climb, they had to overcome major obstacles that could have ended their ascent altogether. For example, Hillary nearly fell into a crevasse, and Norgay had to navigate around a particularly tricky rock formation.
8. The Sherpa people were critical to the expedition’s success
The Sherpa people provided essential support to the British expedition team that aimed to summit Everest. They acted as guides, porters, cooks, and communication links between the base camp and higher camps. Without their help, it would have been challenging, if not impossible, for the British team to achieve their goal.
9. The British team left several items on the summit
The British team left several items on the summit of Mount Everest after the ascent. These included oxygen cylinders, food items, tools, and equipment that were no longer useful. The items were left behind to lighten the load on the final descent, and it’s estimated that over 15 tonnes of rubbish have been left on Mount Everest over the years.
10. The year after Hillary’s climb, another team reached the summit aided by a Chinese team
The year after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent, another team managed to summit Mount Everest. However, this time, it was the Chinese who helped the Nepalese team make it to the top. Two Chinese climbers, Wang Fuzhou and Qu Yinhua, helped a Nepalese team reach the summit without oxygen support, marking the first successful climb without oxygen on Everest.
Conclusion
Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent of Mount Everest in 1953 remains a remarkable event in the history of mountaineering. Their achievement was the result of teamwork, resilience, and professional planning that continues to inspire climbers to this day. The facts highlighted in this article are a testament to their incredible feat and the many people who helped make it happen. While there have been many subsequent attempts to climb the mountain, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s ascent will always be remembered as a landmark achievement.
